The One With Richard and Monica's Wedding
by fearlessphine
Summary: Oneshot, AU / What if Monica had said yes to marrying Richard?


_**The story so far:**__ in the Season 6 Finale, Monica agrees to marry Richard; leaving Chandler heartbroken. However, he truly wants Monica to be happy so he simply grins and bears it. Richard is eager to not waste any more time without Monica, so he hurries the wedding preparations along as quickly as possible._

* * *

A nervous Monica paced back and forth, muttering gibberish as her dress trails behind her.

"Mon, honey," Rachel begins. "Are you ok?"

Monica pauses, a look of wild panic etched across her face. She swallows, and forces herself to smile.

"Yes. I'm sure it's just…anticipation."

Phoebe and Rachel glance at eachother, unconvinced.

Monica stops to look at her reflection in the floor length mirror. Looking back at her is not the beautiful bride she had always hoped to see, but an unhappy face in a dress that wasn't quite perfect. Shaking the thoughts from her mind, she turned to Rachel and Phoebe.

"Is…is Chandler definitely not coming?"

"Sorry sweetie, he said it would be too hard for him."

Monica exhaled deeply. She couldn't blame him, not really. But she wanted her best friend there when she got married.

"That's ok. I have you two and Joey and Ross."

At the mention of their names, the two best men appeared.

"Hey Mon," Ross said, kissing his sister on her cheek. "You look…"

He wanted to say beautiful, but she wasn't. She looked panicked, the dress didn't flatter her and she wasn't smiling.

"…nice."

Joey nodded in half-hearted agreement.

"Anyway, it's time to get this show on the road!" Joey exclaimed, gesturing towards the door.

First down the aisle was Phoebe, escorted by Joey, then Rachel, escorted Ross. Monica began to walk down the aisle in an uneven gait, her arm awkwardly entwined with her fathers. As she reached her husband to be, Monica struggled to let go of her father. She tried to ignore the sign.

Unknown to the bride and groom, a last minute guest had arrived, dressed in shorts and an oversized hoodie. Standing at the back of the church, his pain was plain for anyone to see. Phoebe was the first to notice, her eyes widening slightly; although she really wasn't surprised (she was actually rather pleased). She nudged Rachel, who saw him too. After much difficulty, wide eyes and not so subtle head gestures; the boys saw too. Chandler was here.

By this point, the ceremony had reached the vows. Monica's hands slowly grew more and more sweaty.

"Richard, repeat after me," the minister began.

"I, Richard."

"I, Richard."

"Take thee Monica."

"Take thee Monica."

As Monica's breathing grew uneasy, she began to zone out. She didn't know why, but this wasn't how she pictured her wedding would be. Once again, she tried to convince herself she was being stupid. Richard had finally offered to give her everything she wanted.

"Now, Monica…"

She was brought back to reality, and looked at the minister.

"…repeat after me."

At the back of the church, Chandler took a deep breath as Monica took one too. She relaxed. She'd practiced these. She knew what to say.

"I, Monica."

"I, Monica."

"Take thee Richard."

"Take thee Chandler."

And for the first time that day, Monica smiled, until her eyes widened in realization.

Quite a few things happened at once.

Ross felt a strange sense of Déjà vu, while their mother threw her head into her hands with a cry of "Not another one!"

Phoebe muttered, "What is this, some Gellar trait?" and Joey grinned from ear to ear.

Rachel eyes flew to Chandler, whose heart skipped a beat as he stumbled back into the wall with a thud.

"Um, shall I continue?" the minister whispered, leaning in towards Richard and Monica.

"Ye-" Richard began, before he was interrupted by Monica's shaking head.

"No, I'm sorry. I can't do this."

She turned to Richard, and mumbled an apology.

She ran from the altar. She was almost out the door when she saw Chandler. Her heart skipped a beat, but she didn't stop. Without a second thought, he raced after her.

Joey turned to Ross.

"Dude, what is with your family?!"

Monica ran outside, before realising she hadn't really thought this plan through. The church was in the middle of a park, so she stopped under a tree.

"Monica! Mon! Mon!" Chandler called.

She turned away, and he ran up behind her; wrapping his arms around her waist.

"Look at me," he murmured. When she didn't respond, he turned her in his arms. Before Monica could utter a word, he pressed his lips to hers.

"Marry me," he mumbled against her lips.

"What?" she asked, pulling back in surprize.

"Marry me Monica."

"Now?"

Chandler laughed.

"No, not now. Whenever you're ready. At your perfect venue, on the perfect day, with you wearing the perfect dress."

Monica smiled, before a crestfallen look replaced it.

"I was such an idiot. Look what I ruined! I've missed you so much, and I was so stupid and…"

He silenced her with another kiss.

"It doesn't matter. We're together now, and I know that I'm never ever going to let you go again because I cannot live without you. You're my best friend, and my soulmate."

He brushed a tear of joy from her cheek.

"I love you Chandler. So, so much. I always have and I always will."

Chandler smiled at her.

"I know."

"Shouldn't I be the one to say that?" Monica laughed.

He smiled at her. And then he kissed her. Her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling her body against his. One of his hands rested on her lower back, holding her (and he was never, ever letting her go) and his other arm was around her neck. Monica's head rested in the crook of his elbow, just like it always was when they kissed.

Slowly, she pulled away.

"I love you Chandler Bing."

"I love you Monica Gellar."


End file.
